NAIROBI, Kenya — Plans to build a 10,000-seat indoor sports arena at Nairobi Railway City have moved to the public review stage after the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) invited Kenyans to submit comments on the proposed development.
NEMA said it had received an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study report for the project proposed on Plot L.R. No. 209/12180 in the Railway Station area of Nairobi.
Members of the public have 30 days from September 25, when the notice was published in the Kenya Gazette, to submit oral or written comments before NEMA makes a decision on the project.
Arena to Anchor Mixed-Use Development
The project, proposed by Metroarena Development Company, will feature a 10,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena designed to host sporting events, concerts, conferences and cultural programmes.
The development will also include a 140-key branded hotel, a 77-key serviced apartment tower and a three-level public podium.
Other components will include a sports park, parking facilities, and supporting amenities as part of the wider mixed-use development.
Traffic, Dust and Noise Identified as Risks
The environmental assessment has identified several potential impacts associated with the construction of the project.
These include traffic disruption, dust emissions, construction noise and vibration, construction waste and possible contamination of surface water.
Traffic management has been identified as a particular consideration because of the project’s location within the busy Railway Station area.
The developer is expected to prepare a traffic management plan and coordinate with Nairobi City County and relevant traffic authorities during construction.
Developer Outlines Environmental Measures
The ESIA report proposes several measures to minimise the environmental and social impacts of construction.
Construction activities near settlements and other sensitive areas would be restricted to daytime hours.
The developer is also expected to regularly water roads and other exposed surfaces to control dust and implement measures for managing construction runoff and waste.
The proposed mitigation measures are intended to reduce disruption to neighbouring areas while ensuring that construction activities comply with environmental requirements.
Sh38.2 Billion Project Previously Disclosed
The proposed arena is part of a wider $294.5 million (about Sh38.2 billion) sports and entertainment development previously disclosed by the project partners.
The project is backed by Pan-African investment firm Zaria Group and US-based Helios Sports & Entertainment Group, with the partners holding a long-term lease for the land from Kenya Railways.
The development forms part of the broader transformation planned for Nairobi Railway City.
Masai Ujiri-Linked Investment
Zaria Group was co-founded by Masai Ujiri, the President of the Dallas Mavericks, and the Nairobi development is expected to form part of a wider sports and entertainment district within the Railway City urban renewal plan.
The arena is intended to provide a major venue for sports and entertainment events while adding conference and cultural facilities to Nairobi’s central business district.
The project would also introduce hospitality and serviced residential facilities alongside the arena.
Developers Project Thousands of Jobs
The developers have projected that the wider project could create approximately 3,500 direct construction jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs once the development becomes operational.
They have also estimated that events hosted at the facility could generate up to 25,000 temporary jobs annually across sectors including hospitality, retail and live production.
These figures are projections by the developers and will depend on the project’s implementation, completion and subsequent operations.
Public Invited to Comment
NEMA’s public participation process now gives residents and other stakeholders an opportunity to raise concerns or provide views on the proposed development.
